But this most recent blast — along with Friday's expected frigid temperatures — might be the last of winter 2014-2015.

Forecasters think so. After the mercury falls to a record low of 2 degrees Friday, the rest of the month starts to look — dare we say it? — a little more bearable.

"This really looks like it could be it," said Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with Accuweather.com. "I don't see any additional winter storms on the horizon."

Snow falls across the Lehigh Valley on Thursday. The winter storm was expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of snow to the region. (The Morning Call)

For municipalities facing a second consecutive winter when road salt turns into white gold, and for students watching sunny summer vacation days disappear under the drifts, the promised warm-up cannot come soon enough.

Around the Lehigh Valley, boroughs and townships are breaking budgets on materials to get rid of wintry precipitation.

On Thursday, Allentown received a 150-ton delivery of road salt, Mayor Ed Pawlowski said. Just in time, Pawlowski said, because supplies had been dwindling. An additional 350 tons are expected by next week.

"We are getting low," Easton City Administrator Glenn Steckman said. This year Easton has used well over 2,200 tons, the most in Steckman's seven years' experience.

Before boarding the bus in Philadelphia, Handles Franklin stopped traffic in the snow to prove the Globetrotters can perform tricks anywhere - even in the middle of a snow storm.

Before boarding the bus in Philadelphia, Handles Franklin stopped traffic in the snow to prove the Globetrotters can perform tricks anywhere - even in the middle of a snow storm.

Usually, Easton holds 600 to 700 tons of salt in reserve. On Thursday, the supply was down to about 300 tons.

In an average winter, the city uses 1,200 to 1,500 tons of salt at about $62 a ton. This year, the city has had to turn to the open market to buy more.

Shane Pepe, borough manager of Emmaus, said he back-ordered 100 tons from Morton Salt — the state provider.

"We were fortunate enough to be able to borrow some from our neighboring municipality today to make sure that we are covered," Pepe said in an email.

Bethlehem salt supplies are diminishing as well. Public Works Director Mike Alkhal said the city had 500 tons Thursday morning; capacity is more than 2,000 tons.

Bethlehem typically applies up to 4,500 tons. This year it's at 5,000 and counting.

The city is about $100,000 to $150,000 over budget on materials because of the snow.

Bethlehem tries to keep its reserves at full capacity, but this year, keeping ahead of the weather has been practically impossible. It's clear frequent snows and bitter cold have strained supply lines.

In total accumulation, winter 2014-2015 is less remarkable. Before Thursday, the Lehigh Valley had gotten 36.9 inches of snow. The high of the record-keeping era was 75 inches in 1993-1994. Last year saw 68.1 inches.

But this winter made up for its lack of inches in persistence. There was at least a dusting (0.1 inches of snow or more) on 24 days this year. Last year, it was 25 days.

The Bethlehem Area School District has used seven snow days this year. Four are built into the calendar, so students need to make up three days.

Easter vacation is shortened now for Bethlehem Area students. They'll be in the classroom Thursday, April 2 and Monday, April 6. An extra day also has been added to the end of the year.

"It makes for a long spring," Superintendent Joseph Roy said about the makeup days.

East Penn students won't have a full day of school this week. They started the week with delays, then had two days off because of the snow. The district also scheduled a teachers in-service day for Friday, meaning students are off.

The closings have pushed the last day of school in the East Penn district to June 10, two days later than originally decided.

Will school districts have to delay the start of summer break even further? Nobody knows, but Edwards expects temperatures to start moving up to a more seasonal mid-40s by the weekend.

"Forty-five degrees is going to feel pretty good," he said.

Still, in both 1966 and 1977, it snowed in the Allentown area as late as May 9. On April 27, 1967, an inch of snow fell on the Lehigh Valley.

And, don't forget this Reuters story from March 18, 2014, which begins, "A late winter storm landed a final punch on the U.S. mid-Atlantic states Monday, dumping more than a foot of snow in some places, shutting schools and federal offices and canceling flights."